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(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Students on the Coco Candy Canes team for the Hot Chocolicious competition meet with local bankers to request a $300 loan to start their hot chocolate business. Five teams met with local banks to request loans as a part of the competition with Graham Junior High School and the Graham Chamber of Commerce. -
(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham Junior High School students that are participating in the Graham Chamber of Commerce Hot Chocolicious competition this year. The students visited the chamber office Wednesday, Oct. 22 to receive a loan and work on marketing their hot chocolate businesses. -
(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Members of The 5 Reindeers group meet with Publisher Kylie Bailey of The Graham Leader to design their advertising for their hot chocolate business that will run in the newspaper. The students rotated through stations Wednesday, Oct. 22 to receive a loan and work on marketing their businesses.
Five teams of Graham Junior High School students have started laying the groundwork for a hot chocolate business while building their entrepreneurial skills through the Hot Chocolicious competition.
The hot chocolate competition is organized by the Graham Chamber of Commerce and draws in teams from the GJHS Builders Club to plan and build their own hot chocolate business from scratch.
“It’s teaching them how to be entrepreneurs and all the steps of marketing, branding, promoting your business, working a budget, getting a loan and paying a loan back,” Chamber of Commerce CEO Cathy Partridge said. “I don’t know of any other experience that’s like that.”
The teams develop a business plan for their projects with an aim to educate them about revenue and expenses, marketing, design and investing.
“Students get to work with leaders in our community on all the different facets of creating a business, making a business plan, taking out a loan and bringing their business to fruition,” Superintendent Mary Johnston said. “We appreciate the banks, the chamber and everyone that comes together to teach our students real-world application to their daily lives.”
The students will sell hot chocolate and other goodies from their hot chocolate stands from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 alongside the Christmas stroll on the Graham downtown square.
“The teams select a local nonprofit and all of their proceeds go to that nonprofit,” Partridge said. “They’re learning how to work on someone else’s behalf and not just to benefit themselves, and they take great pride in that.”
The investment and advertising day was held Wednesday, Oct. 22 where each student met with local banks to request a loan as well as representatives from The Graham Leader and a local radio station for advertising.
Each team was provided a $300 loan from Graham Savings, InterBank, Ciera Bank or First State Bank.
Last year, only two teams of eight participated in the competition while this year five teams with a total of 38 students are participating. The teams last year provided New Hope Life Resource Center with $2,632 and Meals on Wheels with $2,041.
The GJHS Builders Club was started as a way to get sixth graders involved due to the fact that they are not in UIL sports and other activities such as National Junior High Society, Student Council and Graham News Network, which require students to be in seventh or eighth grade.
Along with Hot Chocolicious, the Builders Club helps with the Pioneer Elementary School Reindeer Run and Reading Safari, Crestview Field Days and the Young County 4-H Safety Day.
The goal of GJHS for the spring is to find a leadership opportunity that the students can implement on campus.
“I think it’s important that the sixth graders find a way to contribute to their grade level or the school as part of being a builder, having this impact or influence on their campus in a positive way,” GJHS Teacher Sheena Parrilla said.
The Hot Chocolicious competition has become a holiday tradition alongside the Christmas stroll and lighted parade.
“People ask why the chamber does things like this because it doesn’t directly support a business (and it is because) it supports our community and future businesses,” Partridge said.
Hot Chocolicious Teams
Cocoa Cabin
Team Members - Jordan Cotton, Branden Cotton, Eli Dixon, Jacob Huerta, Marcus Monrreal, Witten Taylor, Austin Tamplen
Benefiting Nonprofit - Graham Public Library
The 5 Reindeers
Team Members - Carrie Ann Collins, Hailey Teall, Sofia Barrios, Dayana Ibarra, Jayden Wooldridge
Benefiting Nonprofit - Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety
The Little Grinches Cocoa Shop
Team Members - Miles Elliott, Jesse Ramos, Jace Roberts, Dax Duensing, Everett Riley, Logan Cox, Josiah Taylor, Easton Budarf
Benefiting Nonprofit - HERO House
Cocoa Cuties
Team Members - Davee Campbell, Airianna Hogue, Melanie Huerta, Marley Kincaid, Charlie Grace Edwards, Rhema Frank, Mackenzie Hufstedler, Ariela Ramirez
Benefiting Nonprofit - The Rock
Coco Candy Canes
Team Members - Reagan Figg, McKenna Bussey, Kynlee Besack, Bailey Kilpatrick, Kaitlyn Leach, Hattie Stephens, Harper Shaffer, Maddox Shaffer, Harper Hampton, Emmalyn Atkins
Benefiting Nonprofit - Our Daily Bread
